A new nanoparticulate delivery system will be tested as an alternative to other polymer carriers or liposomes for delivery (in the context of wound healing) of growth factors as well as for gene transfer and for endocytosis-mediated uptake of antisense messenger oligonucleotides. The application of this water-based and unique nanoparticulate system is novel (except for one application of another type of nantechnology for antisense delivery). TGF-beta1 has been chosen as a model factor because of its significance in the control of the would healing process and of the accumulated experience in the Co-Pl's laboratory. A controlled delivery growth factor itself, an incorporation of its expression cDNA (plasmid) as well as of TGF-beta1-specific antisense oligonucleotide will be attempted to increase TGF-beta1 levels or modulate its activity in cultures as well as in vivo. This proposal represents the first phase of a feasibility study to demonstrate the possibility of using this new delivery (and carrier) particulate system to arrive at pharmacologically significant quantities. A limited screening of different nanoparticulate chemistries will be attempted in order to arrive at a resuspendable (single) particulate system, applicable for an injectable delivery. A small size of the nanoparticulate system is an essential requirement for an efficient (non-viral) gene and antisense nucleotide incorporation.